In the field of molecular and diagnostic analysis, the ability to keep nucleic acids in a biological sample stable, whether the specimen is taken in a remote field location, a doctor's office or in a laboratory, often determines whether the nucleic acids can be successfully analyzed. Nucleic acids in a biological sample quickly degrade and/or denature at room temperature and must generally be stored under freezing temperatures to remain stable; however, some degree of degradation still occurs over time. This problem is magnified when a specimen is collected at a remote field site, or a significant distance from a doctor's office or laboratory environment, and especially where there may be limited, or no, access to consistent and constant cooler/refrigerator/freezer conditions until the sample is analyzed, such as where access to power (i.e., electricity), or freezer equipment is not constant or is non-existent. The problem is yet further magnified when the desired nucleic acids for downstream analysis include ribonucleic acid (RNA), which is particularly susceptible to degradation, e.g., by endogenous or exogenous endonuclease activity. Specimen transport technology presently available in the art often uses special transport media for biological samples for transport to a laboratory, in particular, packaging that imposes short time, low temperature, and practicality limits.
In addition to concerns regarding specimen stability, often there are additional concerns regarding the reagents that are used to store and/or transport the collected samples. For example, the reagents themselves frequently require cold temperatures or other special care to maintain stability. Due to these stability issues, for example, transport of the reagents to a field site, storage at the field site before use, and transport of the biological specimens and reagents back to a testing site is a primary concern.
Another significant concern when working with biological specimens is the potential inoculation, release, or dissemination of live infectious pathogens or biological agents from the specimen into the environment. Specific protocols currently exist that are employed when handling samples that may be infectious or otherwise pose health or safety risks. If the sample is kept viable and/or biologically intact to preserve its integrity for testing, individuals involved in the collection, transfer, and testing process are potentially exposed to highly dangerous contagions. Additionally, innocent bystanders nearby a field site (or nearby during transport) can be exposed if a release of the contagion occurs. As a result, the required safety measures typically increase the expense and effort required to move such samples from one location to another.
Until recently, clinical laboratory methods for pathogen detection were labor-intensive, expensive processes that required highly knowledgeable and expert scientists with specific experience. The majority of clinical diagnostic laboratories employed the use of traditional culturing methods that typically require 3 to 7 days for a viral culture—and even longer for some other bacterial targets. Furthermore, traditional culturing requires collection, transport, and laboratory propagation and handling of potentially infectious biological agents such as Ebola, avian influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), etc.
The field of clinical molecular diagnostics changed drastically with the advent of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the mid eighties, however, and shortly thereafter with real-time PCR in the mid 90's. Real-time PCR (and RT-PCR) can deliver results in hours, and the majority of modern diagnostic laboratories are transitioning away from traditional culture, and into nucleic-acid-based detection platforms, such as real-time PCR. Recent improvements in detection chemistries, such as new and improved reporting/quenching fluors, minor groove binders (MGB), and stabilized amplification reagents have paved the way for more sensitive and specific pathogen detection assays that have been proven more timely, robust, and economical than antiquated culturing methods. Advances in other nucleic acid detection strategies (in addition to real-time PCR) such as transcription-mediated amplification, ligase chain reaction (LCR), microarrays, and pathogen gene chips, have also contributed to a transition from culture vials in the clinical laboratory.
Several commercial companies (e.g., Qiagen, Roche, and bioMérieux) have developed automated nucleic acid extraction instruments, and have attempted to automate the parts of the multi-part process from sample isolation to molecular analysis. For example, the Tigris DTS® (Gen-Probe, San Diego, Calif., USA) automates the entire detection process, and in late 2004 was FDA approved for use with Gen-Probe's APTIMA COMBO 2® assay, an FDA-approved amplified nucleic acid test (NAT) for simultaneously detecting Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. 
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a safe collection, storage and transport system that maintains the integrity of the nucleic acids of even a dangerous biological specimen, typically for further molecular analysis or diagnostic testing, without the need for freezing the collected biological specimen, the collection reagents, or the collected sample in the reagents, without posing a risk to workers or innocent bystanders, and allowing for the use of less expensive and more convenient transportation methods or complicated shipping precautions.